antonio conte happy
The performance was better but is there a confidence problem with the poor final balls being played?
I think the performance was a good performance tonight. It’s not easy to play in this stadium in this atmosphere with a lot of noise around you but at the same time from the start we put a lot of pressure, we tried to be aggressive in every zone of the pitch. Then at the same time I didn’t think we risked a lot, taking big risks. We created chances to score, but if I have to find a situation that we need to improve on after this game for sure we need to be more clinical. Today we had the chances to score and you know very well that football is simple, to win you have to score otherwise if we are lucky, if we are good, you get a draw. I think today for the big effort we did with the whole team maybe we deserved much, much more.
It’s just one win away from home this season, is there a difference you think between home and away form?
I spoke about this yesterday during the press conference and yeah the numbers were clear, especially in Europe. Last season we lost three games in the Conference League and then in this season we drew twice against West Ham and Chelsea and we lost against Arsenal. Today I think the performance gave me great confidence. We coped with a difficult atmosphere to play here in the right way with great personality. I think that it’s important for us to understand that play at home or away it has to be the same way. The personality maybe when you stay away has to be stronger. Tonight in this aspect I’m really happy because I had a great response from my player.
Is it frustrating that right now you don’t have other senior forwards to bring in?
You know I think that last season we reached a great achievement for the club, to play in the Champions League. If you remember we finished last season with only 12 or 13 players. I always say that maybe we were lucky to go out of the Conference League and focus only on the Premier League. We weren’t able last season to face two competitions. Now we have to go step by step, have patience, take time, you need to have time and to build an important squad to face a competition like the Champions League. If you compare the Champions League it is totally different to the Conference League or the Europa League. It’s always a massive game and you have to play with the best starting XI. If you think ‘yeah I want to make some rotations’ and it is a bit difficult. We know this situation with the club and the club knows very well we need time and patience, to try to go step by step. I spoke about the transfer market, that we needed more transfer markets to reach a good level. We know this. At the same time we want to be competitive, to try to do everything. Today I made substitutions and played Gil, and Gil is a young player and we have to try to involve all the players. We have to try to do our best. And then go step by step to improve and become stronger as a squad. We have the intention to play for these two big competitions, the Premier League and Champions League. Two of the biggest competitions in the world. You lose a lot of energy, you lose players to injuries and you need a really big squad.
Are the little things the problem rather than the fundamentals?
We are competitive because we work a lot and have a really good organisation. This is only our secret. We know for every game we prepare very well with the ball, without the ball, to know what happens during the game. There are games when we have to be aggressive, like today. To play many circumstances man to man and to accept duels. There are other games when you need to stay more close, give no space because your opponent if you give space they will kill you. To be good in a tactical aspect is one of the secrets because last season we finished fourth.
Do you believe Spurs will qualify from the group?
Yeah but we need to be confident. At the start, before the start of the competition you asked me which were my thoughts about the group and I said there is a lot of balance in this group. In every game you can get points but you can lose points. Until the last game, we don’t know what happens, in my opinion. For sure now we have two games at home. Like today in our stadium, there is an amazing atmosphere. Our fans have to play a big role in these two games because for sure we are going to play for qualification in the next two games.
